Mizukori
by jenl821
Summary: Juvia is captured and forced to become a servant. She loses all hope of getting out, that is until a small group from the legendary Fairy Tail guild accepts a job from her "master". Juvia will have to leave her fears behind as she struggles to escape her misery, and deal with the stone-cold Ice Mage that she fell in love with at first sight. AU/Gruvia. Minor NaLu, Jerza, and GaLe
1. Chapter 1

_Mizukori_

 _Chapter 1_

 _Drip Drip Drop_

 _Drip Drip Drop_

The steady stream of water sliding down the concrete wall was the only solace Juvia felt as she shivered, desperate for warmth, in her tiny, underground cell.

She had been trapped for two weeks now, her hands bound with magic-restricting manacles, keeping her water magic out of reach. Without it she felt so weak...so helpless...so not herself.

She looked around once more, trying to find some way out that she hadn't seen in the other thousands of times she surveyed the area. The cell was small, she could lay out length-wise and touch each side of the walls. There was only a door, with a small slot at the bottom that was used to serve her meager rations of two loaves of bread and some water a day. She could feel the cell was also enhanced with magic, making it so if she were to break out of her chains, there was no way of getting out.

No one had spoken to her since she arrived. She wasn't allowed to bathe or even use the bathroom like a human, rather they gave her a bucket that made her feel like a worthless animal.

With no human interaction, and all hope lost, she was left with her thoughts. Her mind wandered back to her life before she had been taken, not like it was much better, but at least she had some sort of freedom.

Juvia grew up in a small orphanage outside of Fiore. She didn't have any memories from before, never knowing who her parents were or where she actually came from. She only knew loneliness and the ever-constant rain that seemed to follow her. Her life in the orphanage was terrible. She could never escape the bullies or the mean looks she received from everyone. No one wanted her around because of her rain. She made people miserable, she was misery itself, and as a little girl it was very hard for her to accept, but as she aged, her heart matured, and closed off. She shut off all her emotions, knowing the rain would forever follow her, and she learned to control her magic. She studied all the books she could on how to harness her power and make it work in her favor. She excelled, and she became a powerful mage, but there was one thing she could never do, and that was make the rain stop. She had yet to see the sun that everyone talked about. She had not spent a day at the beach or walked down the street without having to hold her umbrella. She had not been able to lay in a field, staring up at the clouds, and try and decide what they looked like.

But she pushed those dreams aside, realizing that she was not meant to be a part of that, and when she turned sixteen, she left the orphanage, and set out on her own. She trained herself, as no one would help her, and she took odd jobs in various towns as she made her way around the country. She traveled, not staying anywhere for longer than a few days, as the people who complain often about the endless rain and when would it let up. So once the job was done, she would move on to the next. She had no roots anywhere, and that also meant no friends, either.

She had been in a small village, one that needed help with a bandit that was stealing things from people's homes while they were away. It was a simple job, one she thought wouldn't take longer than a few hours to complete.

As she tracked the bandit once she caught on to his trail, she followed him into the woods and up to the moutainside. Juvia watched as he ran inside a small structure that looked to be barely standing. As she neared the structure, she morphed into her water body and slipped under the door. Once inside, she suddenly had a very strange feeling. Goosebumps began to form on her arms, and before she even had a chance to register what was going on, she was smacked on the back of the head. She fell hard to the floor, and as her mind drifted from consciousness she saw a large set of boots standing in her eyeline.

The sound of a door scraping pulled Juvia from her thoughts. She looked over to see the slot open and her tray of food slid into sight. Juvia didn't waste any time before she ran over, hoping to get some glimpse of her outside surroundings. She threw herself to the ground in front of the slot just as it closed in front of her eyes.

"Wait!" Juvia screamed. "Please, tell me what's going on? Where am I? What do you want with me?"

She heard nothing though, but as she listened to the footsteps leaving she realized they sounded very light. Someone small was serving her food, it could even possibly be a small child, Juvia wasn't sure, but it definitely was not the heavy boots she had seen when she was abducted.

Juvia pulled herself off the floor, not bothering to wipe off the dirt. It wouldn't matter anyway. She was covered in dirt and soot all over, hygiene didn't mean much to her now.

She grabbed the bread and began to tear it into little pieces. She rationed it the best she could, but it did little to curb her hunger. She sipped the water slowly, relishing in the feel of cool liquid as it ran down her parched throat.

Was this going to be her life now? Was she resigned to wither away in this god-forsaken cell? Maybe this is what she deserved; to live her life away from others where she couldn't do any harm and her rain didn't bring people sorrow.

She slid back against the wall, pulling her knees up to her chest. She rested her head on her hands and tried to control the tears that began to pool in her eyes. She had shut off her emotions long ago, so why now did they decide to rear their ugly head? Why not did she seem to be so weak and pathetic?

A loud crash caused Juvia to jump, and she rose to her feet quickly. She walked closer to the door, putting her ear to the metal, trying to get an idea on what was going on. She could hear muffled voices, but couldn't make out anything coherent.

Suddenly she heard another loud bang, and a loud yell.

"Get the hell off of me! Fuck off!" a voice yelled. It was deep and heavy, with anger laced within each word.

She could hear struggling, and the rattling of chains, as they neared her cell.

"You're going to regret you ever lived once I get out of these fucking chains!" the voice screamed once more.

Juvia could hear the sound of another door being opened. Another crash, then a door slammed shut.

"Let me out of here, now!" the voice yelled once more. The man was banging on the door and Juvia shut her eyes. She wanted to tell him it was no use. She had done the same once she had been abducted, but it was all futile. No amount of screaming, banging, or threats had produced any sort of reaction from her abductors.

She heard whoever had brought the man down here leave abruptly, not ever saying a word. Juvia leaned against the door and listened.

"Goddammit!" the voice screamed. "You better get back here! Come back and fight me man to man!"

Juvia almost smiled at the voice. It was reassuring to hear someone after two long weeks, no matter what they sounded like. Juvia hesitated for a second before deciding to say something. "Hello?"

"What the hell? Who's that?" the voice said and Juvia chuckled lightly.

"Juvia. Who are you?"

"Name's Gajeel."

"Nice to meet you, Gajeel," Juvia said.

"How long have you been down in this shithole?" Gajeel asked and Juvia sighed.

"Almost two weeks," Juvia said and Gajeel interrupted her.

"Two weeks? What the fuck?" Gajeel said.

"I've tried to get out, but there is magic in the chains and in the cell, so it's impossible," Juvia told him and she heard Gajeel laugh.

"Listen lady, nothing's impossible," Gajeel said. "Especially not for me."

"You seem rather strong and fiesty, how were they able to capture you?" Juvia asked and she heard Gajeel bang on the door.

"They set up some damn trap for me. I was on a job, an easy job, and out of no where they got me. The knocked me out, but I came too just as they were dragging me down a hallway," Gajeel explained and Juvia nodded her head.

"Same for me. I was also on a job, and they snuck up on me. I had no idea," Juvia said. "What were you able to see?"

"Not much. We are obviously underground. It was a long hallway, that led to a large, metal door. Beyond that are several cells, but it looks like just the two of us are occupants right now."

"What did the men look like?"

"You don't know?"

"No, I haven't seen or talked with anyone since I got here. They just bring me food and water once a day and that's it," Juvia said.

"Dammit," Gajeel hissed. "What is their objective?"

"I don't understand it either," Juvia added.

"The two men that hauled me down here were average. I definitely could have taken their sorry asses if it wasn't for these damn metal shackles," Gajeel said. Juvia could hear him banging them against the walls.

"Don't even bother trying to break them," Juvia offered, but Gajeel seemed to ignore her advice and continued to pound on the chains.

Juvia slid back down to the floor, leaning against the wall. Gajeel and herself continued to talk throughout the night. It was the first time anyone had really spoken to her in any sort of conversation. She listened as he complained and laughed at his temper, and they shared stories about their roles in life before they were abducted. Juvia felt a smile grace her features while she listened to Gajeel. It was nice to have someone to talk to, another person around to share in her grief. With Gajeel, she slowly felt her hope returning. Maybe they could get out of their together. Gajeel was pretty convincing as he explained all the ways he was going to try and get them out. She was shocked when he first said we, she actually asked him to repeat it, and he told her that he wasn't going to let a mage like himself waste away in some dungeon. Juvia felt tears rain down her cheeks, but it wasn't from sadness. For once, it was from happiness. She found a companion, a peer, and maybe, her very first friend.

* * *

Time seemed to move a little quicker with Gajeel keeping her company. It had been a week since Gajeel had been captured, and while she didn't want to wish entrapment on anyone, she was very happy to finally have someone to talk to. They got to know each other rather well, and Juvia learned that Gajeel was a lot like herself. He was also an orphan, and also traveled alone doing anything and everything to make it in this world. He still had his same fiery spirit day in and day out. He continued to yell and bang even though he knew it wasn't really accomplishing anything. They talked about how they get could out of there. They discussed plans and Juvia felt like many of the ideas Gajeel suggested were impossible, but she found herself believing in his words.

"Next time they bring down the food, I'm going to try and grab the leg of the person," Gajeel said and Juvia laughed. "What? You don't think I can?"

"No, I definitely think you can do anything you set your mind too. I'm just laughing because I'm happy. I'm glad I met you, Gajeel," Juvia expressed.

"Don't get all mushy on me now, Rain Woman," Gajeel said, mentioning Juvia's new nickname he had given her after she told them about the constant rain that followed her. It had bothered her at first, thinking that he was making fun of her, but she learned quickly it was Gajeel's way of expressing he liked someone.

"Gajeel, do you think we will ever get out of here?" Juvia asked. She tried not to sound so weak and forlorn, but she couldn't help the small trepidation that slipped in her tone of voice.

"Of course we will. I'm the Iron Dragon Slayer and nothing can keep me in forever!" Gajeel exclaimed and Juvia was about to comment back when the door in the back of the hallway began to open.

Juvia jumped up, her heart racing. She looked over, thinking maybe she had missed something, but no, there sat the tray from earlier. They were not coming down here to bring them food. Something was happening, and Juvia became very frightened.

"Gajeel?" Juvia questioned and she heard Gajeel bang the door.

"I know," Gajeel answered and Juvia knew he had realized the same thing that she did.

Juvia could hear the sharp taps of a boot walking down the hallway. The noise echoed in the small cell. The people who brought her food obviously didn't wear shoes or ones that didn't make much noise. She could definitely tell it was a man by the stride, but she had no idea if it was someone to help or someone to harm.

"Hey asshole! You gonna let us out?" Gajeel yelled and Juvia tensed up. The noise of the boots stopped right in front of Juvia's cell door.

She heard the lock click open, and the door swung open, creaking loudly and Juvia slid to the back of the cell. The shadow was tall and blocked any light that might have slipped in from the hallway.

"Leave her alone! Come over here if you know what's good for you," Gajeel screamed, but the man ignored the calls. He walked into the cell and Juvia cowered into herself. With the shackles, she had no way to defend herself. She was the perfect prey and Juvia tried to calm her nerves.

Juvia couldn't get a good look at the man. His face was hidden by the darkness, but once he spoke she knew that he wasn't there to help her at all. He didn't make any move toward her yet, but eyed her carefully as he spoke "Hello, Juvia."


	2. Chapter 2

_Mizukori_

 _Chapter 2_

"Hurry up and scrub those floors! You still have to finish the prep work for dinner!" a voice yelled to Juvia as she continued to polish the floors on her already sore knees She sighed, keeping her frown hidden from view.

It had been almost three months since she was brought up from the basement and subjected to work for that terrible man who called himself Jose. Juvia was forced to address him as master, and she was disgusted at herself for having to succumb to that level of degradation. She didn't have much of a choice because of the stupid collar around her neck. She gripped it once more, turning it on her neck to find a more comfortable position.

After Jose originally pulled her from the dungeon, she was immediately knocked unconscious. When she came to she was lying on a small cot in a room no bigger than a closet with the collar secured around her neck. It conveniently suppressed her magic, but that wasn't the only thing it did. If she disobeyed or upset Jose in any way, he could simply wave his hand and a sharp wave of electricity would shoot through her veins. Her body being mainly water was even more sensitive to this attack.

She had made the mistake of talking back to Jose several times. Each time the course of current would send her spiraling to the ground in agony. It would last until Jose felt the punishment fit the crime, and the pain would end. It would leave her heaving on the ground, trying hard to regain control over her body. That wasn't enough to deter her in the beginning. She dealt with the pain as she hastily defied her so called master. She didn't want to obey him, she wanted freedom. But Jose didn't like her disobedience and he had almost made it a challenge to break her spirit. So, from there on he made the punishments last over a minute, and Juvia could no longer bear them anymore. She gave up, the fire in her eyes extinguishing to Jose's amusement, and all he did was smile. He was happy he was able to break a mage of her caliber. Juvia knew she was the strongest one in the household, and Juvia was almost sure she was stronger than Jose. If only she could get the collar off she could show that bastard what she was made of.

The household consisted of Jose, the "master". He seemed to be in his late thirties, and a harsh, unforgiving man. He was after power and he enjoyed being in control. He had two underlings, Titus and Sid, who were strong physically, but were two of the dumbest people Juvia had ever met. They rarely stayed in the mansion, seeming to be out doing errands for Jose.

Three other women served under Jose, besides herself. One was a girl named Mira. She was twenty-one, two years older than Juvia, and she never spoke. She was beautiful in Juvia's eyes. She had long, brown hair that extended past her waist. Her eyes were a brilliant shade of blue, but Juvia found them lifeless. Juvia tried to engage her in conversation, but the girl would only stare at her, before turning and walking away. Juvia had no idea where she had come from or how she had been taken.

The next woman, Vera, was much older than Juvia, in her early thirties, and she dominated everyone. She seemed to be a willing servant to Jose, and Juvia almost thought the woman was in love with him. She did nothing but make Juvia's life a living hell. She yelled at her constantly, complaining about Juvia's lack of devotion. She hardly left Jose's side, and Juvia was sure she also warmed Jose's bed each night. Juvia didn't want to think about it, but for that reason, she was rather grateful for the woman. Jose had yet to want anything sexual from her, and she hoped it would never come to that. If it ever did, Juvia was sure she'd end up losing her life because she would never give in to something like that. She refused to be used in such a way. One of her biggest goals in life was to one day find true love. She knew the chance was slim, but a small part of her still held on to that dream, and like hell was she going to let Jose take something from her she could willingly give to her future love.

The third woman was Juvia's favorite. She was small, feisty, and around Juvia's age. She had short, spunky hair, and it was the unusual color of blue, just like Juvia's. Her name was Levy. She told Juvia once that she had been taken when she was only five and forced to work for Jose. Juvia couldn't imagine what it was like growing up in this environment, and Levy never talked about it. Despite her situation, Juvia was surprised to find that Levy still held a bit of willpower within her. It was buried deep, and only showed itself to Juvia, late at night, but it was there. Levy was very loyal to Jose, as it had been ingrained in her from such an early age, and that worried Juvia. As she did her duties, Juvia was keeping a keen eye on her surroundings, formulating different plans in her mind that might allow for her to escape, but Juvia wanted to take Levy with her. The thought that Levy might ruin her plan worried Juvia. She wanted to work on breaking Jose's control on Levy, to make her see that she can trust her and that there was a life for her outside these walls.

"Hurry up and take this down to the prisoner," a voice said, breaking Juvia from her thoughts, and she turned to see Vera leering down at her. Juvia jumped up, and Vera shoved a tray into her stomach, before giving her a pointed look. "We have guests arriving soon and we aren't nearly prepared. This floor looks terrible, do it again when you come back and then start on dinner!" She folded her arms and turned, walking out quickly, no doubt on her way back to Jose.

The only good thing about her day was this right here. Once a day she got to see Gajeel. Juvia had learned early on that Levy was the one that took their food down to the dungeons. It was no wonder Juvia didn't hear her, the girl weighed nothing. She was always so fast, Juvia could barely keep up with her. But, Juvia begged Levy to allow her to be able to take the food down to Gajeel. Levy continued to say no, but one day Juvia walked into the kitchen and Vera told her to take the food to Gajeel. Juvia mentally thanked Levy for helping her out, and she knew that the young girl still had some sort of determination within her.

She hurried quickly down the stairs, running full stop to Gajeel's door. They only had a few short minutes, but it was enough to get Juvia through the day.

* * *

"So, the two lackeys are gone again?" Gajeel asked, chewing on his bread.

Juvia leaned with her back against the door as she spoke. "Yes, but, Vera said we have guests coming today."

"Guests?"

"I'm not sure if that means anything to us or not, but I will keep my eye on them and see if they might be friendly. If so, maybe I can get a message to them to help us out," Juvia explained and Gajeel grunted.

"Don't do anything stupid, rain woman. The last thing you need is to be a withering mess on the floor," Gajeel said and Juvia smiled. He really did care.

Even since she had been able to bring food down to Gajeel, they talked. She filled Gajeel in on any information she had, and together they tried to work on escaping. As of yet, nothing had helped them at all. Juvia had no idea on how to release Gajeel from the dungeon, and she was sure only Jose had that ability. She told him about the other inhabitants, and he also seemed to think that Levy might be someone they could sway, but he also warned her to be wary. They could only rely on each other.

"These guests," Gajeel started, his voice more serious than Juvia had heard from him in a while, making Juvia stand still, waiting for his words. "They might be our only way out. We have to approach this carefully. We don't know how long they are staying, where they are from, and what they are doing for Jose, but that could also work in our advantage."

"I agree," Juvia said, her voice matching Gajeel's tone. This might be there only opportunity, and it was all on her shoulders. "Gajeel...," Juvia began, but Gajeel knocked on the door, causing Juvia to jump slightly.

"You better be gettin' back," Gajeel said.

"Ok."

"It's gonna be fine, rain woman, just do your best," Gajeel offered as Juvia made her way to the door. Juvia smiled, her hope returning slightly.

"I definitely will!" Juvia said. She opened the door and made her way upstairs, eager to get the plan in motion.

* * *

Juvia balanced several dishes on her arm as she readied herself to meet the guests. They had arrived only a few minutes ago, and Jose had ordered her to serve the food. She wasn't able to meet them yet, so she had no idea what to expect.

Levy and Mira had been forced to go upstairs and ready the guestrooms. Juvia was happy to learn this new information. That meant she had a little more time to figure them out.

Juvia calmed her breathing. She stepped forward, opening the door with her foot, and slipped inside the dining room. Her sights first fell on Vera. She was standing beside a sitting Jose, her hands interlocked in front of her. Her face was serene, but businesslike, and Juvia could sense tension around her. Juvia didn't chance a look around the room yet, deciding to make her way over to the small table that lined the wall. She placed the different dishes down, before grabbing one and making her way over to the table.

"Why don't we start with some introductions?" Jose suggested. He wore a smug smile, his demeanor was so fake Juvia was curious if the guests even suspected anything.

"My name is Erza Scarlet," a young woman said. Juvia set the dish down quietly, and took a moment to look at the person who just spoke. She was strong, clad in armor, and had the reddest hair Juvia had ever seen in her life. She was clearly the leader. She motioned to the boy beside her. He had bright, pink hair and wore a white scarf around his neck. "This is Natsu."

"Let's eat!" Natsu said, grabbing a piece of bread and throwing it in his mouth. He seemed to have an endless amount of energy.

"And Happy." Juvia looked over and saw a small, blue cat wearing a backpack. That wasn't something she would see everyday.

"The one on the end is Lucy," Erza said, and Juvia caught sight of a beautiful girl with blonde hair pulled up in a side ponytail. She waved her arm, smiling, and Juvia caught sight of a pink emblem on her hand. Juvia couldn't make it out, but she knew she had seen it before. She'd have to remember and ask Gajeel about it.

"And that one over there is Gray," Erza explained, crossing her arms to let everyone know she was done. Juvia moved her eyes to look at the last member of the group she hoped would be her saviors. Once her eyes landed on the young man, Juvia felt her heart leap in her chest.

She pulled her hand up, covering her heart, as she was sure people could see it beating. Her breath left her, her throat became dry, and her stomach began to flutter with a million butterflies. The man before her was gorgeous. She had never laid eyes on such a male specimen before, and Juvia was sure she was going to turn into a puddle at her feet. For once she was happy for the collar, because without it that's exactly what would have happened.

The one called Gray had spiky, black hair that fell in just the right places around his incredible face. His cheekbones were defined, his jawline impeccable, and not to mention the smirk he held on his amazing, kissable, lips. Juvia had to stop, she was sure she was about to die. There was no way she could live after seeing such perfection. Juvia had to turn away. The heat on her cheeks was almost too much for her to bear.

Juvia had just regained a little bit of her sanity, when she chanced another look, and she locked eyes with Gray, sending her on another whirlwind of love from which she was sure she would never return.


	3. Chapter 3

_Mizukori_

 _Chapter 3_

Juvia stood with her back against the door. The room was dark, foreboding, and she tried hard to suppress a shiver that ran down her spine. She swallowed hard, unable to hide her fear at her current predicament.

She refused to move from her spot. She wasn't sure if it was from fear of her situation, or the fear of the man sitting in the chair a few feet in front of her.

The man had yet to speak. He continued to sit on the chair, covered in shadows. The only thing Juvia could see was the shine of his boots as the moonlight streamed in from the window.

"Juvia, was it?" the voice spoke, and Juvia jolted slightly. The sudden cut of noise through the obvious tension in the room was almost too much for her to handle. She didn't move, just nodded her head slightly. "Why don't you come closer?"

Juvia held her hands in front of her, trying to gain some composure. She moved a few steps forward, but stopped. She was wary. She had no idea what to expect. Just a few short hours ago, she never thought she would be here, in this room, with this person. She was sure she had met her saviors, but now, she felt like she was facing her doom.

She thought back to the dinner when her hope for rescue had been the highest it had been since she was first taken.

* * *

Juvia continued to serve the food, trying hard to listen in on the conversation the guests and Jose were having.

"Thank you for coming on such short notice," Jose began. He took a few sips of his soup before he continued. "I wasn't sure such a guild would respond to my job request."

"Your job request was quite vague, Sir," Erza began and Jose smiled.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't introduce myself. I'm Jose Porla and I'm the master of this mansion," Jose told her, his arms spread out wide showing his claim. Juvia rolled her eyes, however it was not missed by Vera, and she sneered in return, her hand quickly going to Jose's shoulder.

"Porla-san," Erza said and Jose interrupted once more.

"Please, call me Jose. We're all among friends, right?" Jose said, smiling, however the other guests didn't return the smile. Juvia could sense hesitation from each of them. They had their suspicions.

"Jose-san," Erza said through gritted teeth. Juvia could tell that Erza was getting aggravated from being interrupted. "What exactly did you want us for? You specifically asked for our team and yet you didn't say what you needed us to do."

"Why don't we dine tonight. I'm sure all of you are tired from your travels. We will discuss more of the job details in the morning, after you have rested," Jose offered. Erza crossed her arms over her chest, opening her mouth to speak, but someone beat her to it.

"Yeah, Erza, the guy is right. Why don't we eat first," Natsu said. He had already devoured all the bread on the table and his soup bowl was completely dry.

"Juvia! Why have you not refilled our guest's bowl?" Vera snapped and Juvia turned to face her quickly. It was the first time since she had stepped in the room that she had been addressed.

"Yes, ma'am. I'm very sorry," Juvia said. She grabbed the soup and quickly made her way over to Natsu, but in her haste she lost her footing and the soup pot fell from her arms, colliding with the floor, and covering Natsu in the liquid.

Juvia trembled, too afraid to look up. She moved herself into a bowing position at Natsu's feet, her forehead resting on the ground. "Please forgive me, Sir," Juvia said through chattering teeth. She knew the wrath for her actions would be severe. "I humbly apologize."

Jose stood up and moved toward Juvia. She saw his feet come into view as she kept her head bowed. "So sorry about my incompetent servant, Natsu-san," Jose said. Juvia could feel the anger radiating off of him, but before she could think about it any longer, the collar around her neck sent a jolt through her body.

As the current traveled through her veins and she screamed in agony, she could hear shouts and protests, but could not make out what was being said. After a few moments the pain stopped, and she tried to catch her breath.

"What the hell, dude!" Natsu screamed. "It's not a big deal! She didn't do anything wrong!"

She felt a hand on her arm, soothing her. "Are you alright?" Juvia pried open her eyes and looked up to see Lucy staring down at her. She had a look of concern on her face and Juvia almost cried at the sympathy she saw through her blue irises. This girl did care about her. Maybe she really could help her escape.

Juvia didn't have a chance to respond. A hand gripped her upper arm, pulling her into a standing position. She turned to see Vera glaring. "This girl is just fine. She knows the punishment for her misconduct."

"But, she didn't do anything wrong. It was an accident," Lucy explained, reaching out a hand that Juvia wished she could take, but she knew she could not. Juvia chanced a quick look around the room. Everyone was on their feet, she was shocked at how angry they all looked. She looked over at Gray and saw him standing there with his arms crossed. His face didn't seem to hold any emotion and Juvia wasn't surprised. Why would he care about a stupid, weak girl like herself?

"I'm fine, ma'am," Juvia said. She bowed once more. "If I may have Natsu-san's clothes, I will quickly get them cleaned."

"Nah, I'm good," Natsu said, and Juvia's head shot up to look at him. He was smiling from ear to ear, giving a thumbs up to her. He was licking the last of the soup from his face and Juvia looked over to see Happy licking the soup from the pot on the ground. It looked as if nothing had happened.

Juvia was about to smile when Jose stepped beside her. He leaned closely to her, his grip on her wrist so tight Juvia knew it was going to leave a bruise. "Finish serving the food and you better hope there won't be any more incidents like that one," Jose said.

Juvia didn't look at him, just nodded her head, and rushed into the kitchen. Once inside, she gripped the counter. It had been a while since she had felt that electricity run through her body. She almost forgot how much it hurt. She could barely stand, and her heart was beating quickly. The fact that Natsu, Lucy, and everyone else seemed to be concerned about her well-being made Juvia feel something she hadn't felt in so long: happiness.

She took a few long breaths and hurried to collect the food. She knew Jose would be angry if she kept his guests waiting, but in the back of her mind she was smiling. She couldn't wait to go and tell Gajeel about these people that could actually help them out.

Juvia collected the remnants of the dishes as everyone was finishing up their desserts. She had not had any disasters since the earlier incident. She avoided Jose and Vera's eyes, as she knew they were both still angry with her. Jose for embarrassing him, and Vera for making Jose mad. The guests didn't say anything to her, but she was able to catch sympathetic looks from Lucy and Erza.

"Since everyone has had their fill, I think it's time you retire to your rooms to rest up for tomorrow," Jose said. He stood up, eyeing everyone around the table. "Vera will show you to your room." Vera made her way around the table and opened the door.

"We will rest tonight, but tomorrow we _will_ discuss what we came here for," Erza said, her eyes fiery and Juvia almost thought they matched her hair.

"Do any of you desire anything for the night?" Jose asked, his eyes wondering the table. "I don't have too much to offer you, but I can provide you entertainment for the night if you so desire."

Juvia's eyes widened when she heard that statement. She knew what he was implying. He was offering up the girls in the house for the guests. How could he do that? Juvia turned to the guests, eyeing each of them. No way would they agree to that. They all seemed so honorable.

"Besides the two girls here, I also have two upstairs that could also provide a wonderful night," Jose said and she saw Lucy stand up.

"That's absurd! You're just going to offer up your help for something as disgusting as that?" Lucy slammed her hands on the table.

"Lucy's right," Natsu began. He stood up, his eyes matching Lucy's. Juvia watched as he placed a hand over Lucy's, calming her down. "We don't need stuff like that."

"Let us retire now," Erza said. She also stood, the disgust on her face obvious.

"Actually," a voice said, and Juvia turned to see Gray leaning back in his seat. He had his eyes closed and his arms crossed and if Juvia didn't recognize his voice, she wouldn't have even thought he had actually spoken. He looked so serene. "I would like to take you up on that offer."

Once the words had been said, everyone in the room gasped. Even Juvia felt her mouth fall open at the statement. Was he really that type of person?

Jose smiled, clapping his hands in front of him. "How about Vera here. She's well experienced and would suit your needs well."

Juvia looked at Vera. She hid her expression well, but Juvia could see the look of shock on her face.

"GRAY!" Natsu shouted. He ran over to Gray, and grabbed him by the shoulders. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Gray, this isn't like you," Lucy commented.

"Not her," Gray said, and he stood from his chair. He opened his eyes and they immediately met Juvia's. "I want her."

Juvia turned to look behind her. He wasn't talking about her was he? She looked up and met his eyes.

"You want Juvia?" Jose asked, his tone also suggesting he didn't believe Gray.

Gray nodded his head. He didn't say anything else, just turned and began to leave the room. He stopped at the door. "Be in my room at midnight." He walked out and Vera quickly followed.

* * *

And here Juvia was now, in a dark room, with a man she had only just met. Did this man really expect her to sleep with him? She refused to do that. She didn't want to be here at all. Vera had forced her in to the room with threats of pain if she did not fulfill the guests needs.

Juvia almost felt like crying. She had always thought that she might be put in this situation with Jose, but never did she think it would be someone who came to visit. She never would have thought Jose would give her up like that. She knew he was an evil tyrant, but he always seemed to be quite possessive over them.

So much for thinking that they were going to help her. This was probably her worst case scenario. She had to figure out how to get out of here without alarming Jose. Maybe if she could reason with Gray, make him see her as a person and not some plaything.

"Gray-san," Juvia spoke. She tried to calm the quivering of her voice. She had to be strong. She bowed her head. "I do not think I am what you want."

Gray stood from the chair, and Juvia looked up at him. He moved into the moonlight and Juvia almost gasped. He looked so handsome she almost forgot that he was some sort of pervert that wanted to have his way with her for a bit of amusement.

He chuckled a bit as he moved right in front of Juvia. He crossed his arms and stared down at her. Juvia caught his eyes and she tried to look away, but couldn't. "No, you're exactly what I want."


	4. Chapter 4

_Mizukori_

 _Chapter 4_

Juvia rushed down the staircase quickly. She held the tray of food balanced on one arm and a bowl of water in the other. She skipped a few steps at the bottom before rushing to the door. She shuffled the objects in her arms to get a better grip and grabbed the handle of the door, swinging the heavy metal toward her. She didn't bother closing it as she usually did, she was in too much of a hurry. She had so much to tell Gajeel, and she didn't want to forget a thing.

Speeding forward, she stopped in front of Gajeel's cell, breathing heavily.

"Whoa, what's up rain woman?" Gajeel asked. Juvia didn't say anything, still trying to catch her breath and she pushed the tray through the slot, propping it open with the bowl.

"Gajeel," Juvia said, she turned and slumped to the ground, her back against the wall. "I have so much to tell you."

"Alright," Gajeel said, his mouth full of bread. "Start at the beginning."

Juvia told him about the guests that had arrived yesterday. She told him about the symbol on Lucy's hand and he grunted. "That's for the Fairy Tail guild. Don't know too much about them, but they definitely aren't a dark guild."

Juvia nodded. "I don't think so either, but that's not all." Juvia told him about the dinner, and how Jose had used the shock on her when she spilled the pot of soup. Gajeel was livid, and let out a string of expletives, causing a smile to cross Juvia's face. She wasn't ashamed to admit Gajeel's concern for her was flattering.

"But, Gajeel," Juvia said, leaning her head against the wall as she remembered the look in the Fairy Tail guild member's eyes as she was harmed, "they were worried. They honestly didn't like that Jose had caused me harm. I could feel their anger and sympathy."

"Maybe they ain't that bad; maybe they can save us," Gajeel commented.

"After dinner, Jose offered up all the girls to the members for _entertainment_ ," Juvia said and Gajeel slammed his hand against the ground.

"What? That bastard!"

"And one of the members, Gray, asked for me," Juvia said and she swore that Gajeel punched a dent in the metal wall.

"When I get out of here you better show me who Gray is first because I'm gonna beat the shit out of him," Gajeel growled through clenched teeth.

"It's alright, Gajeel, it's not what you think. Let me tell you what happened...," Juvia began, her mind wondering back to the night she was stuck in the room with one Gray Fullbuster.

* * *

Juvia couldn't move as a chill surrounded her body. Gray was so close she could feel his breath on her face.

"What do you mean?" Juvia asked. How could Juvia be what Gray would want? She offered nothing to no one except misery and rain. "I can assure you, Sir, I will not be much in the way of entertainment for you."

Gray chuckled sightly, before turning and moving back to the chair he was originally sitting in. "Listen, Juvia, I didn't bring you here for that, so you can rest easy."

Juvia almost let out a sigh as the tension within her slowly began to dissipate, but she couldn't let her guard down. He obviously wanted something from her.

"I'm sorry, Sir, but," Juvia began, but Gray held up his hand, stopping her from talking.

"Not Sir, just call me Gray," he said and Juvia felt a slight blush reach her cheeks.

Juvia didn't feel right just calling him Gray, so she opted to go with something more appropriate. "Excuse me, Gray-sama," Juvia began and she saw Gray almost blanch at the name. She turned her face away to hid her embarrassment. "Why did you call me here tonight?"

Gray stood up and it was then that Juvia realized he was shirtless and clad only in his boxers. She turned around, the red staining her face, as she hid her eyes behind her hands. "Gray-sama, your clothes."

Gray chuckled again. "Sorry, it's a habit," Gray said. Juvia heard shuffling before Gray began to speak again. "Ok, you can turn around now."

Juvia spun around slowly, moving her hands from her eyes one at a time. Gray had slipped on a simple black t-shirt and black sweat pants. He really was a handsome man. He turned toward the window and looked out over the night sky.

"It hasn't stopped raining since we got here," Gray commented and Juvia felt her body freeze. The topic was still very sore for her and she forced her tears to remain hidden. She didn't want to look so weak in front of Gray. She didn't completely know why, but she felt a connection with this man. Something was pulling her toward him and she wasn't sure what it was. She had no idea what type of person he was. He could be as bad as Jose, or worse. Juvia shook her head at the thought. She just couldn't picture Gray as a bad person. Maybe that was the hope talking.

"So, I'm sure you're wondering why I brought you here," Gray said. He turned to look at Juvia, and she bowed her head, trying to show some respect. She nodded her head slightly. "Please, don't bow for me. Come take a seat on the bed."

Juvia's eyes widened at the statement. What? Didn't Gray just say he didn't want her for that, yet he wanted her to come sit on the bed. Was this all a lie? She felt her body begin to tremble.

Gray must have sensed her fear because he sighed and rolled his eyes. "I already told you, didn't I? I didn't bring you here for that. I guess I can't blame you for being wary, it doesn't look like you've had many people treat you well in a long time." Gray moved to sit on the bed and motioned for Juvia to take the chair.

Juvia moved to the chair quickly and sat down. She kept her hands in front of her and her face turned toward the ground. Her nerves were shot, she didn't know how much longer she could put up with this anxiety. Her heart had yet to slow down it's frantic beating.

"Listen, I need information," Gray began and Juvia looked up at him.

"Information?"

"We came here knowing that Jose was working with dark guilds, but we don't have any proof of his misconduct. We accepted this job he wanted us to do so we can spy on him, but I don't think that's going to be very easy," Gray explained. He grabbed a book by his bed and flipped it open. "We need someone on the inside."

Juvia knew where this was going, but she immediately jumped up, moving toward the door, her arms waving frantically. "You can't mean me. I can't do that. If I spy on him, he'll...," Juvia trailed off. Fear had completely gripped her and she wrapped her arms around herself. She couldn't do something like that. The only thing she had ever done was confide in Gajeel, but she knew she could trust him. Could she trust Gray? What if he turned on her; ratted her out? What then? She knew Jose would do something worse than an electric shock. Juvia was so lost in her thoughts she didn't hear Gray approach her. She suddenly felt hands on her arms, holding her steady.

"I know what I'm asking you is difficult, but I could see the fire in your eyes, Juvia. I know you want out of here and you have some willpower left. Vera is completely loyal to Jose and I haven't met the other two, but if Jose felt the need to hide them from us I can't imagine they are very strong. He clearly used you to show us he could capture a strong wizard," Gray said and Juvia looked up into his eyes.

"How did you...," Juvia began and Gray smirked.

"We can tell who is like us and who isn't. I could see the slight defiance in you when Jose punished you. You wanted to use your magic, but couldn't. I'm assuming it's because of this," Gray said. His hands came up and traced the collar along her neck. Juvia could feel the ghosting of his fingertips as they swept against her neck. She unconsciously reached up and grabbed the collar, stepping away. She turned her head, ashamed at being seen so weak and fragile.

"I can't imagine what you've been through, and maybe this sounds harsh, but I don't really care to know. We just need to find some information that can help us turn Jose in to the Magic Counsel. He's wrecking havoc on this land and Fairy Tail isn't going to stand for that," Gray admitted and Juvia felt her heart break slowly. She knew from the beginning that they weren't here for her, but she didn't expect Gray to be so cold.

Gajeel had told her to be brave and that when an opportunity to get out came up, not to let it go, and this was it. If he wanted her help, she was going to get something in return. Juvia felt her willpower surge forward. She stood resolute and turned to look Gray in the eye. "If I help you, I want something in return."

Gray seemed to be a little stunned by her sudden confidence. "And what is that?"

"When you leave, you have to take me and my friend, who's locked in the dungeon, with you," Juvia said. Gray backed away, his head slowly shaking.

"No way, we definitely can't do that," Gray said. He turned away from her. "We can't get involved in anything like that. We are simply here to collect evidence against Jose, nothing more."

Juvia felt anger build within her. She wasn't giving up. She rounded on Gray, facing him fully and stared directly into his eyes. "You need my help, you said so yourself. You won't get far without me and that means risking my life to help you. I'm not going to do that for some person I just met. I've been stuck in this hell-hole for months, made into a slave for months, fearing for my life day after day. I'm treated like cattle and restricted from my magic, making me into nothing more than a helpless girl," Juvia huffed, her anger ebbing away and her emotions taking over. The tears began to pool in her eyes. "You're right earlier when you said you have no idea what I've been through, because you don't. I can't live like this much longer. You need me and I need you."

Gray didn't turn away, but Juvia could feel his unease. "You would fit in well at Fairy Tail," Gray commented and Juvia's eyes widened. She had never been told she would fit in well anywhere, much less a guild.

"So, it's a promise?" Juvia asked, her eyes searching Gray's.

"Fine," Gray said, crossing his arms.

Juvia held up her pinkie and Gray looked at her confused. "Pinkie Promise."

"Huh?"

"Hold up your pinkie," Juvia said, and Gray slowly lifted his finger, eyeing her warily. Juvia wrapped her pinkie around Gray's, shaking their hands lightly. "Now the promise is sealed. Don't you forget, Gray-sama."

They let go of their fingers, each stepping back slightly, and Gray nodded his head.

* * *

"This Gray idiot seems like a bastard, I'm not sure if we should trust him or not," Gajeel commented. He took another bite of bread and sipped some water.

"I'm going to try and trust him, but I promise you, I won't let my guard down," Juvia said.

"I hate to say this, but it might be the only way we can escape," Gajeel said and suddenly the creak of a metal door got both of their attentions.

Juvia jumped up from the floor, turning to look at where the sound came from. Juvia gasped when she caught sight of who stood looking into the corridor, her face also showing shock.

"Who is it?" Gajeel asked and Juvia couldn't move. Staring back at her was the small, feisty girl Juvia had grown to like so much.

"Juvia?" Levy questioned, stepping further into the light, her face showing worry and confusion.

"Shit," Gajeel muttered and Juvia couldn't help but agree.

* * *

 _New job has caused delays...new chapters should be back on schedule_


End file.
